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Friday, 18 May 2012

Red Cross Stores

I have mixed emotions on Red Cross charity stores. Compared
to other op-shops they are much more expensive and I only buy from them when I
find a bargain. Most items are overpriced (in my opinion) by about $5-$15.00
which is a bit of a shame... BUT, it is going to a charity so it's not as if
it’s a waste of money, and I shouldn’t really complain because it’s still
cheaper than retail. Red Cross has the nicest stores by far. They are always so
clean and new, they never have that ‘op-shop smell’ which personally doesn’t
bother me but I hear a lot of people complain about. So if you’re
thinking of giving op-shopping a try but are still slightly apprehensive I
would recommend Red Cross stores.

I wouldn’t say that Red cross has particularly good or bad
stock in terms of things that are fashionable, but what they do have in store
is really good quality and always clean. I suppose if you think about it, the
higher prices are worth it considering how much effort is put in to the service
they provide. Another point I will add is that there don’t seem to be as many
Red Cross stores around compared to Vinnie’s and Salvation Army so if you’re
not living in a main city they could be a little harder to find.

All in all, I have found lots of really nice things in Red
Cross stores, so here are some of the better ones:

The first purchase is my brown leather wallet, it was $8.00.
This was a bargain; it’s a real leather wallet in good condition. I think the
reason it was so cheap is because when I bought it the leather was coming away
from the lining of the wallet, but I fixed easily enough with a bit of glue
which only took a minute to do. Definitely worth the effort, which was minimal.

Next is this striped cardigan which I got for $8.00. Again
this was very cheap in comparison to other things in store. Admittedly I don’t
actually wear this as much as I would like, but I still really like it , the
cream and black go with anything and the stripe pattern works well as I can
still wear it with other things without it overpowering an outfit.

I bought this blue and white striped top nearly a year and a
half ago and I still wear it regularly. I think what I love about it is its
originality, it’s made out of a cotton knit material meaning that its warm
enough to wear in winter but is still cool in summer so I can wear it year
round. I am also particularly fond of the cute collar and asymmetrical
stripes. I just think they make the top really individual and I can honestly
say I have never seen anything like it in a retail store.

And finally there is the lace top, which I also got for
$8.00. I am quite particular about the lace I like to wear, I’m not really a
fan of the lace used repeatedly by retail stores, to me it looks tacky and I
prefer larger designs within the lace rather than the really dainty ones –
that’s just personal preference though. I also really like the high
neckline of this top, it balances out the fact that lace is see though making
it slightly more modest. Slightly.